I will Survive. I Always Do.
Friday – Entry 35:
We all deal with problems. Some of our problems are worse than others, some lesser. My problems seem to be health related. I realize they're not degenerative, or deadly, or even crippling, but they do make life just that much more difficult to manage. So I write about it. I write to communicate. I write to connect. I write to express. I write to cope. What follows is my attempt to cope and be positive. I am discouraged, but I can't allow it to become depression, so I write to be free of it.
On August 21st, I became sick. Although I rushed in to see somebody at the Instacare clinic, they laughed and s...
Source: The Splintered Mind by Douglas Cootey - September 14, 2013 Category: Mental Illness Tags: Journaling Writing Depression Family Source Type: blogs
Drug store retail clinics for primary care? Not so fast
A version of this column was published in USA Today on July 3, 2013.
One recent day in my primary care clinic, I had a full schedule and was unable to see a patient for her cough. She instead sought medical care at a local drugstore, where she was treated for bronchitis. Normally housed in pharmacies and department stores like Target or Walmart, such retail clinics have grown in popularity, numbering over 1,400 nationwide today. While convenient for minor ailments like sore throats or urinary tract infections, some of these clinics want to do more.
Walgreens recently announced that their clinics would manage chronic con...
Source: Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog - August 14, 2013 Category: Family Physicians Tags: Kevin's Take Primary care Source Type: blogs
Biogen: Tecfidera MS Pill Was 'Unlikely' To Cause Patient Death
Is the 'holy mother' of all drug launches about to get deflated? For awhile, investors were concerned over a report that the new Tecfidera multiple sclerosis pill may have been linked to a patient death and Biogen Idec shares began sliding amid speculation that the drug may have the kind of side effect problem that could derail blockbuster sales estimates. Initially, there was talk that the patient died of dehydration, and Tecfidera can cause diarrhea and vomiting in some patients.
But by the time the markets closed yesterday, the drugmaker was scrambling to dispel concerns by reaching out to investors, analysts and the me...
Source: Pharmalot - July 23, 2013 Category: Pharma Commentators Authors: esilverman Source Type: blogs
FDA Expanding Role of Office of Criminal Investigations
Over the last year or two, the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) Office of Criminal Investigations (OCI) has grown to play a crucial role in protecting the public health from fraudulent or counterfeit drugs, devices, cosmetics and other FDA regulated products. Increasingly, OCI has also played a large role in several recent high-profile settlements involving off-label marketing or deceptive promotional practices.
Several recent posts on the FDAVoice blog, written by OCI's director, John Roth, explain the work OCI has done in the past and what the future holds.
OCI consists of numerous federal agents, who have t...
Source: Policy and Medicine - June 20, 2013 Category: Health Medicine and Bioethics Commentators Authors: Thomas Sullivan Source Type: blogs
PhRMA Report: Over 5400 Medicines in Development and 70% are First in Class
According to report released by PhRMA, companies have more than 5,400 medicines in development globally, and more than 70% of therapies in the pipeline are potentially first-in-class and could offer patients new treatment options, and a notable number of potential therapies target diseases with limited treatment options such as ALS and rare diseases. A breakdown of their report offers insight into the various medicines in development for different diseases and populations.
Older Americans
America’s biopharmaceutical research companies are developing 465 new medicines that target the 10 leading chronic conditi...
Source: Policy and Medicine - April 24, 2013 Category: Health Medicine and Bioethics Commentators Authors: Thomas Sullivan Source Type: blogs
So, I Guess We'll Go With Asthma.
I finally caved and went to my new family doctor today over my crazy exercise induced allergies that are so bizarre and I couldn't figure out. I did tons of internet research, so did my husband, and we found a lot of people with the same thing who couldn't find an answer.He came in and I was just embarrassed to be there AGAIN. Obviously we both know I'm healthy - I was just there for a physical and had blood work and I couldn't possibly be more healthy as far as those things are concerned. I had told him on a previous visit for some reason, I don't know why, about my issues with coughing in the past,...
Source: bipolar.and.me - April 11, 2013 Category: Mental Illness Source Type: blogs
Just Whining
We ran the Shamrock Shuffle - an 8k run today with some of Mark's friends. He, of course, had an incredibly fast time that impressed everyone. I was just happy that I finished all five miles without having to walk to rest at all during the run. But I keep fighting all of these doctors about what happens to me when I do intense cardio. I get these bad allergies, similar to a bad cold, but I know I'm not sick, it's just what always happens in certain situations. I would run MUCH MORE OFTEN if this didn't happen so many times when I run, but then I feel sick the rest of the day and it just ...
Source: bipolar.and.me - April 8, 2013 Category: Mental Illness Source Type: blogs
March Goes Out Lame
Friday - Entry 29:
Where to begin?
It is Day93. My energy levels seem to be returning, though the deep cough lingers. My lungs still burn as if I had just come down with bronchitis. I am still physically inactive, which is difficult as March goes out like a lamb with warm breezes and sunny days. I hope to go to church this Sunday and brave exposure to friendly, smiling people. If only I wasn't also suffering from a really bad haircut.
I must admit. It was a truly bad haircut. Each day I struggle with it to look halfway decent, but it seems to have been cut to enhance all of my cowlicks in the most unflattering ways po...
Source: The Splintered Mind by Douglas Cootey - March 30, 2013 Category: Mental Illness Tags: Journaling Family Source Type: blogs
Scared Medicationless?
I went to the doctor and he confirmed what I already suspected - yes, I have a mild concussion. I had a CT scan which turned out to be normal except for an unrelated sinus cyst. I was told to get one week of physical and mental rest. That just seemed a bit crazy to me - a whole week of doing absolutely nothing? And I didn't have most of the concussion symptoms, mainly just horrible, horrible headaches. So he finally said if I was symptom free by Monday, I could go back to school, but absolutely nothing physical or mental until then. I had to ask what was "mental rest"? He gave...
Source: bipolar.and.me - March 7, 2013 Category: Mental Illness Source Type: blogs
2012: Banner Year for New Drugs
Fueled by new cancer therapeutics, last year the annual new molecular and biological entity approval count from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) saw its highest year since 1997. One-third of the novel products approved by the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER) are used to treat cancers of the blood, breast, colon, prostate, skin and thyroid.
As part of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER) promotes and protects the health of Americans by assuring that all prescription and over-the-counter drugs are safe and effective. The CDE...
Source: Highlight HEALTH - February 13, 2013 Category: Medical Scientists Authors: Walter Jessen, Ph.D. Source Type: blogs
Celiac is not a disease
. Lest you think I’ve gone off my rocker, let me explain.
Say that, of 100 people you know who smoke, only 1 gets lung cancer. Do we declare that the only person who has problems with cigarettes is the poor unfortunate guy or girl with the one lung cancer? Shall we ignore the 60 cases of chronic bronchitis and emphysema, the 10 abdominal aortic aneurysms, the 5 thoracic aortic and iliofemoral aneurysms, the oral, tongue, and laryngeal cancers, and the several dozen other conditions that typically develop in smokers–but not as imminently fatal as lung cancer?
In other words, do we dismiss all these conditions ...
Source: Wheat Belly Blog - February 5, 2013 Category: Cardiology Authors: Dr. Davis Tags: Celiac disease Source Type: blogs
Frustration Is the Only Constant
Sunday - Entry 23:
Day 33. One positive aspect of my recent (and ongoing) bout with illness has been a renewed appreciation for the vast amount of time I actually have available to me. Another aspect has been the refining of my personal drive onto one project to spend that vast amount of time on. I wake up thinking about my current Depression book now and how much work I have left on it. This is such a difference from the usual nightly routine where I remember to work on the book when I’m suppose to be going to sleep.
The shame is that I am finally starting to feel better, but I have the kids now and am having a v...
Source: The Splintered Mind by Douglas Cootey - January 27, 2013 Category: Mental Illness Tags: Family ADHD Source Type: blogs
Pulmonary Hypertension
Pathophysiology
1) increased arterial pressure in lungs 2) primary or idiopathic form occurs in absence of known precipitating causes 3) secondary form caused by – mitral stenosis, pulmonary venous occlusive disease, extreme obesity (Pickwickian syndrome), chronic hypoxemia, recurrent pulmonary embolism, kyphosis, infiltrative lung disease, chronic bronchitis, long periods at high altitude
Signs and Symptoms
1) insidious onset of dyspnea idiopathic form 2) right heart failure with venous distention of neck 3) peripheral cyanosis late in disease 4) palpable right ventricular heave (owing to cor pulmonale) 5) fatigue ...
Source: Inside Surgery - January 23, 2013 Category: Surgeons Authors: Editor Tags: Pulmonology arterial pressure cyanosis dyspnea high altitude lungs obesity right heart failure Source Type: blogs
Not Heart Failure
I wasn’t giving in to the patient who wanted a prescription for Levaquin after the standard ZeePack didn’t cure his cough. He had a normal chest x-ray and labs the day before but was convinced that he had pneumonia. I tried explaining the difference between bacteria and viruses. I used the “RAID doesn’t work on dandelions” routine. He wasn’t convinced.
“I NEED a stronger antibiotic to break this up. Levaquin has worked in the past.”
“You know, I think I’m going to start you on some heart medications, instead. Some nitroglycerin and some Lasix for your heart failure.”
“Whaaat? I don’t have heart pr...
Source: WhiteCoat's Call Room - January 18, 2013 Category: Emergency Medicine Doctors Authors: WhiteCoat Tags: Patient Encounters Source Type: blogs
Worth the Struggle
Cough No.2
Tuesday - Entry 22:
Today is day Day 21 of my bout with the flu and bronchitis. For a while we thought I had pnuemonia, but my doctors seem to be conflicted on that diagnosis. Certainly my lungs don't show the precense of pnuemonia now, so perhaps we caught it in time. The weekend after New Year's was a scary one indeed, full of gasping and bloody sputum. I've had bronchitis repeatedly through my life. That was not bronchitis.
Being sick is all I've managed to do well these past three weeks. Today I showered for the first time in a few days, then had to sit down. I watched an episode of Downton Abbey, then g...
Source: The Splintered Mind by Douglas Cootey - January 16, 2013 Category: Mental Illness Tags: Coping Journaling Depression Family Source Type: blogs
